Metro

ELECTIONS

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Treasurer
Candidate

Lowenberg favors lower property
taxes to renew Southfield.

Shelli Liebman Dorfman

Staff Writer

ooking to make significant
changes in Southfield, Iry
Lowenberg took his finance
and accounting background one
step beyond his professional work,
and threw his yarmulkah into the
political ring to run for city treas-
urer of the City of Southfield.
"Everybody always complains
about high property taxes and a
lack of services:' said the first-time
political candidate. "Someone
needed to step up."
On Tuesday, Nov. 8, Lowenberg's
name will be on the ballot for the
seat that will be vacated by the
retirement of longtime Southfield
city treasurer, Roman Gronkowski.
"Some people say because of the
demographics of the city there's no
chance that a Jewish candidate —
much less an Orthodox one — can
win',' Lowenberg said. "But proper-
ty tax is something that affects
everyone."
A former investment banker on
Wall Street, with degrees in busi-
ness and finance, Lowenberg is
currently assistant branch manag-
er of Allied Home Mortgage
Capital Corporation in Southfield.
"We are America's largest pri-
vately held mortgage broker,
financing $12 billion in loans for
2004," he said. "The city of
Southfield has a $130 million
budget so I am definitely qualified
to be the city's chief financial offi-
cer.
Lowenberg's opponent for the
four-year-term position is current
deputy treasurer of Southfield,
James Pierce. The position, with an
annual salary of $92,000, is one of
only two full-time City of
Southfield elected official posts,
the other being the city clerk.
Lowenberg came in first place in
the Sept. 13 primary election, tak-
ing 37 percent of the votes, with
the Pierce getting 23 percent.

L

THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY OF JERUSALEM.

American Friends of The Hebrew University
congratulates Robert J. Aumann, professor emeritus
at Hebrew University's Center for Rationality, for
being a co-recipient of the 2005 Nobel Prize in
Economic Sciences.

A faculty member for five decades, Professor Aumann was

praised by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences for having

"enhanced our understanding of conflict and cooperation
through game-theory analysis."

Professor Aumann's achievement marks the fifth time in four years

that a Hebrew University graduate or faculty member has won a

Nobel Prize. Combining 80 years of excellence with a pioneering

spirit of discovery, Hebrew University is home to some of the

world's most important thinkers, scholars, scientists and leaders.

George A. Schieren

President

Ira Lee Sorkin
Chairman of the Board

Peter T. Wiliner
National Executive Director

AFJHU

AMERICAN FRIENDS OF
THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY

American Friends of The Hebrew University

Nurturing Israel's Greatest Asset

150 East Huron Street Suite 1105 Chicago, IL 60611 312-642-3110

midwest@afhu.org www.afhu.org

A 10-year resident of Southfield,
Lowenberg is a member of the
Southfield Democratic Club, but is
not running on behalf of a specific
party because the race is non-par-
tisan.
A past president of Shomrey
Emunah synagogue, he and his
wife Karen have three children:
Leah, 10, Elianna, 9, and Daniella,
1. The older two attend Yeshiva
Beth Yehudah.
In a biography and statement
Pierce prepared for the City of
Southfield voter guide, he said his
hope is "for legislation that would
mandate Realtors to fully explain
Proposal A and
the uncapping
rules to
prospective resi-
dents. I believe
full disclosure
should be made
so that prospec-
tive residents
Lowenberg
can make
informed deci-
sions," wrote Pierce.
With degrees in business
administration and finance, he has
worked in the treasurer's office for
the last 19 years in various capaci-
ties, including 10 years in his cur-
rent position as deputy treasurer.
"We are at a crossroads where
so many houses are up for sale in
Southfield, but they are not selling
because of the high property
taxes:' Lowenberg said. "There is
also a high number of foreclosures
going on."
To combat the situation, he cre-
ated a four-point plan for the City
of Southfield that includes better
investment management,
increased home ownership,
addressing senior citizen concerns
and business development.
"My program will help reduce
property tax," he said. "It will make
the sale of homes more attractive
and bring a renewed spirit to
Southfield."

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1044030

November 3 2005

.JN